“Wait, what?” I asked in confusion before I looked at Taeyeon skeptically. “Where are you from exactly?”

 

However, Taeyeon merely grinned at me and that was when I realized my pocket watch was in her hands. She swiftly stuffed the watch into my hands before I could stop her.

 

“No, wait…”

 

Click.

 

-

 

“What the hell!” I cursed as I landed on my as per usual. I blinked a couple of times to regain my orientation before picking myself up and scanned my surroundings.

 

That Taeyeon. Seriously! I thought of her, not so fondly.

 

Checking around me for the presence of Taeyeon, I realized I have landed somewhere in the ground floor of my apartment, which I supposed, belongs to the travelling Taeyeon’s Tiffany.

 

So she wants me to talk to her Tiffany, huh? Guess we do have a common topic, or rather, common loss.

 

With a sigh, I made my way to the elevator and up to Tiffany’s apartment, hoping to get some answers from her. And if Taeyeon is there, beat the truth out of her.

 

Just as I reached the apartment, assuming this Tiffany stayed at the same address as I do, I straightened my attire and made sure I looked presentable. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt nervous to meet this Tiffany. It seemed different to the other times.

 

Perhaps it was because I have gone through a lot recently. Or perhaps it was because I had the advantage of knowing what happened in other dimensions. Or just perhaps it was because I have seen her Taeyeon. I just felt guilty that I am going to unload all these additional knowledge as a burden to this unsuspecting Tiffany.

 

Maybe I should just leave. I thought to myself. Why make life miserable for the poor girl?

 

I was about to turn around to leave when I saw Taeyeon leaning against the wall.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“You!” I exclaimed. “Can you stop doing that?”

 

“Do what?”

 

“Send me to the next dimension without my permission.”

 

“Ok, I promise I won’t do that again.”

 

“It’s annoying… wait, what?” I was surprised that she didn’t even make an attempt to explain her actions or outright reject my request.

 

“I just said I won’t do it again,” Taeyeon repeated herself. “Now, please knock on the door.”

 

“With you here?” I asked ridiculously. “Don’t you think we need to ease her into this? You are supposed to be dead!”

 

Taeyeon was about to say something about that when the door to the apartment suddenly opened and Tiffany was at the door with a bag that seemed like trash, in her hands. She gasped and froze.

 

Silence ensued as we stared at each other in shock. Maybe more on her side. I felt more like being caught doing something wrong… or something.

 

“Hi?” I offered, finally breaking the silence.

 

“Hi.” She replied, in an obligatory manner. The questioning look hung onto her face as she eyed me from head to toe.

 

It was rather amusing that she made no effort to scream like the others.

 

“Can we talk? Somewhere more private?” I gestured around us.

 

“Erm, sure?” She answered rather hesitantly, possibly still unsure of what to make of the situation. “I need to throw this out first?”

 

Tiffany said as she made her way towards the trash room down the hallway, passing by Taeyeon like she was invisible.

 

I observed the whole situation speechlessly while Taeyeon merely watched Tiffany walked by her helplessly before smiling sadly at me. She then mouthed the words, “She can’t see me.”

 

I frowned, feeling even more sympathetic towards this pair. Should I tell Tiffany that Taeyeon is here?

 

“You wanna come in?” Tiffany spoke, snapping me out my thoughts.

 

“Yeah sure,” I replied and she went inside, leaving the door open for me.

 

Just as I made my move towards the door, Taeyeon grabbed my wrist to stop me.

 

“You have to talk her into moving on, if you haven’t notice, she looks so much paler,” Taeyeon said as she moved her hand to hold mine with a gentle squeeze. “She hasn’t been sleeping or eating well and I can’t bear to see her weaken like this but I can’t do much when she can’t see me.”

 

I nodded my head and tapped her hand on my wrist to assure her.

 

She muttered her thanks before letting me go.

 

I quickly entered the apartment with Taeyeon tagging behind. Tiffany already had a cup of water ready and offered it to me as soon as I settled down on the single seater next to the couch.

 

“Sorry, I only have water.”

 

“It’s alright.” I smiled thankfully. Suddenly a thought hit me. “Why are you so calm about this? Seeing double?”

 

“Nothing fazes me at this point of time,” Tiffany laughed. “But so I am clear, you are not a figment of my imagination?”

 

“No,” I shook my head, a little amused by how well this Tiffany is, in absorbing the facts.

 

“So who are you exactly?” Tiffany asked, leaning back against the couch and crossed her arms and legs. That felt a little hostile but I guess it was reasonable.

 

“To put it simply, I am a dimension traveler.”

 

“Dimension traveler?”

 

“Yes, there are actually twelve dimensions where our parallel selves exist. Our age and character may vary, leading to vast differences in our decisions made and therefore resulting in different outcomes but the bottom line is, I am you, just from a different dimension.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Don’t you have questions?”

 

“What can I do for you?”

 

I frowned. I didn’t expect her nonchalance or that question.

 

“My travelling has only one purpose, to help you, my parallel selves and if possible Taeyeon.”

 

Tiffany merely smiled and uncrossed her legs. She leaned forward and took a sip from her glass of water, seemingly in deep thoughts. I waited patiently for her.

 

“I hate to break this to you, but the Taeyeon in this dimension has passed on.”

 

“Then I will help you move on,” I quickly said.

 

Tiffany raised her brows, seemingly amused by what I just said.

 

“You don’t seem to be surprised or shocked about what I just said,” Tiffany thought out loud.

 

I realized my mistake and was stumped.

 

“Let’s just say, I have been through a lot, after going through the dimensions before yours.” I tried to explain. “And my Taeyeon passed on as well.”

 

“Oh, I am sorry, I didn’t think of that.”

 

There was a pregnant pause as we thought about what to say. It seemed that words are lost to us when it comes to Taeyeon.

 

“You know,” She suddenly spoke. “I would have thought if I was ever to see a dimension traveler, it would be Taeyeon.”

 

“Why?” I asked in curiosity.

 

“She’s always fascinated with science fiction, about parallel dimensions and whatnot.” Tiffany laughed. “I can even imagine her begging the higher ups for her to travel through dimensions when she got there.”

 

I took a glance at the silent Taeyeon sitting next to Tiffany. Tiffany noticed and grinned at me.

 

“She’s here, isn’t she?”

 

I looked at Taeyeon who was frantically waving her hand for me to say no and so I did.

 

“No?” It came out sounding like a question.

 

Tiffany laughed again.

 

“Okay, I don’t know why you even bother to deny and although I have a bigger question of why you can see her while I can’t, I will just assume it is her idea and pretend that I don’t know she is here.”

 

“Huh?” I think she lost me.

 

“Never mind that. So how can I help you?”

 

“Look,” I sighed. “I don’t know why you can be so calm about all this but I just want to help.”

 

I looked at Tiffany and she nodded her head, encouraging me to continue.

 

“If you haven’t fully realized, I am you, so I can tell that you are not doing well. You looked like you have lost a lot of weight and it doesn’t need a genius to tell that you are not eating well or sleeping well for that matter.”

 

I then sat up and moved to the edge so I could place my hand on her knee.

 

“I…” I paused, looked at Taeyeon and decided to throw caution to the wind. “We are worried.”

 

“We?” Tiffany mused.

 

I gave her look, as if saying, “Seriously?”

 

“Honey, I am not deliberately torturing myself if that was what you are thinking,” Tiffany smiled wearily and tapped on my hands resting on her knees.

 

“The thing is, I am terminally ill.”

 

-

 

A/N: Did I not mention crazy updates?

Sigh, 2014. Let's just get pass this eventfully cursed year and hopefully 2015 will be all better. An early Happy New Year to all!

Oh before I forget, I am planning for a chapter right after the epilogue to explain things if they ain't clear by then. So feel free to leave a question and I will answer them as much as I can.